Odawara Castle Park

Odawara Castle Park is an urban green space built on the ruins of a medieval fortress, featuring a rebuilt central tower and surviving stone ramparts. The park combines landscaping with historical structures and provides visitors with multiple paths through the grounds.

The fortress was founded in the mid-15th century and served as a power base for the Hojo clan for over a century. It fell in 1590 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi besieged it, marking the end of Hojo rule and their influence in the region.

The site carries the Hojo clan's legacy in its physical layout and the reconstructed buildings you see today. Walking through the grounds gives you a sense of how power and authority were displayed in feudal Japan.

The grounds are easy to walk and have marked paths suitable for different mobility levels, with rest areas placed along the routes. Visitors will find information boards and a museum with exhibits that explain the site's history and its former inhabitants.

The site is surrounded by an extensive line of defenses made up of moats and earthen ramparts that extend for several kilometers around the grounds. These outer fortifications reveal the strategic depth of a feudal castle, which was far more than just the visible central tower.

Location: Odawara

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Operator: 小田原市

Part of: Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots, 100 Best Historical Parks in Japan

Website: https://odawaracastle.com/Overview

GPS coordinates: 35.25075,139.15478

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:00